Tesla Autopilot vs. Cadillac Super Cruise Comparison Picks Controversial Winner

Why do people have that impression, even though some might not agree with Tesla's methods or even like the company at all? Well, it's mostly because it has received the most publicity and, as the saying tried to warn us, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Then, there's the aspect of the very vocal Tesla fans who are quick to dismiss any other company's efforts and do it as loudly as possible.

At the end of the day, though, calling one better than another is such a subjective thing. But that too falls in Tesla's favor: OK, you can't objectively rank them, but answer this question: which of them will work on virtually any road, including city streets and what not? That's where the Autopilot stands out, despite the fact, in reality, it might not like the environment you decide to call upon its services and disengage almost immediately after switching it on.

The Fast Lane Car's Tommy decided to compare Tesla's Autopilot to GM's Super Cruise, and since the latter only works on the highway, the test had to be restricted to this single scenario. Tesla fans will probably say this limitation is enough to make the Super Cruise the loser even before the test had started, but let's not be that hasty.

If an AI system is so advanced that it can drive the car itself in a variety of circumstances, surely cruising down a marked highway should be a breeze. And yet, as proven by Tommy's little test, for Tesla's Autopilot, it is not. Sure, the system can do it, but it's not as smooth and as reassuring as you would want it to be. Or as GM's Super Cruise, for that matter (exemplified here using a Cadillac Escalade).

And it's not just about how well the AI guides the vehicle in its lane but also the driver interaction while the system is activated. The Autopilot famously requires some steering wheel input from time to time, but we all know there are ways to fool the system and take your hands completely off for as much as you like.

The Super Cruise, on the other hand, has no problem with that. It's a hands-off system, meaning you're free not to touch the steering wheel for as long as the highway goes or until you run out of fuel. Instead, it monitors the driver's eyes to make sure they don't stray off the road for too long. If they do, it'll issue a few warnings before beginning to slow down.

So, in Tommy's opinion, at least as far as highway driving is concerned (which is where most of the "automated" driving should take place at this moment), the Super Cruise is the superior system. While he may be biased (we all are, even if we don't realize it), based on what you can see in the clip below, you would have probably reached the same conclusion.